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Biarrely when the F10 5 series came out the DRL setting illuminated the rear lights too. But for some reason it was later changed to only have the front lights on as DRLs. Very odd. I preferred the way my old one did it.
Is it time to ban LED Headlights
- Thread starter Glanza
- Start date
Biarrely when the F10 5 series came out the DRL setting illuminated the rear lights too. But for some reason it was later changed to only have the front lights on as DRLs. Very odd. I preferred the way my old one did it.
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- 9 Apr 2012
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I have a Fiesta with LED headlamps - I must be the most hated person on this forum.
I see cars with LED headlamps all the time - including other Fiestas - and can honestly say whilst I've noticed they are bright I have not been dazzled. I must say the brightness at night works wonders, especially on the country roads I drive on. They make such a difference it is kind of amazing.
I see cars with LED headlamps all the time - including other Fiestas - and can honestly say whilst I've noticed they are bright I have not been dazzled. I must say the brightness at night works wonders, especially on the country roads I drive on. They make such a difference it is kind of amazing.
So what you're saying is manufacturers should go the whole hog and make it so that rear lights and headlights are on all the time?
DRL's have never been a replacement for lights, they are designed to be as bright as possible during daylight hours, to increase visibility of the vehicle for everyone, including pedestrians. As a rule you aren't so bothered about vehicles that are driving away from you, rather those that are heading in your direction.
If it's dark enough to require rear lights as well, then it's certainly too dark for DRL's and you should have already switched to at least sidelights (Or dimmed DRL's) if not headlights.
Soldato
I think the issue is that on some cars the DRLs:
- Are bright enough that they illuminate the road ahead of you so that you think the lights are on
- Illuminate the dash in the same way as if you had your headlights on, so that you think the lights are on
This is possibly dependant on what car you drive, in the same way as whether headlights of the car behind dazzle you in the mirror. I used to notice it a lot in my Civic, which had quite a low seating position, in my Zoe which is comparatively high up it's nowhere near as bad.
Soldato
That appears to be standard on all the French marques which use the front sidelights as DRLs. I put LED sidelights in mine as the OEM ones were almost invisible in normal daylight.
I do agree that DRL's have made people lazy; but before DRL's we had people in the fog with zero lights, at least these days there are at least a couple at the front 
The retro-fit of DRL's has also added another nuisance to the road - because those certainly don't DIM at night as they should, so we're blinded by those and the retro-fitted HIDs as well.
The retro-fit of DRL's has also added another nuisance to the road - because those certainly don't DIM at night as they should, so we're blinded by those and the retro-fitted HIDs as well.
Soldato
It would still require the drivers to set the switch to auto, however. There's your point of failure.
Auto lights with no override to turn them off would/should never be legal as there's a few situations where you may need the engine running/ignition on, but lights not on.
Soldato
I've seen new Mercs with the headlight switch only having 'Auto' and 'On' positions if I remember right.
NobN of the numerous automatic vehicles I drive illuminate the brake lights unless the useless **** driving has their foot on the brake.You mean like people driving automatics?
NoNe of the numerous automatic vehicles I drive illuminate the brake lights unless the useless **** driving has their foot on the brake.
Do you only drive old ones?
Out of interest, have any of you found driving an SUV/4x4 with a higher seating position, helps wih reducing headllight dazzle?
With wearing contact lenses I suffer badly from glare and dazzle from these new lights and although I'd prefer another estate car as my daily, I was wondering whether a higher position would help...
With wearing contact lenses I suffer badly from glare and dazzle from these new lights and although I'd prefer another estate car as my daily, I was wondering whether a higher position would help...
No, unless a year old is considered old.
Sounds like **** poor design of the vehicles that won't allow the driver to sit in traffic without having the brake lights glaring away.
How would you even know whether the brake lights are on anyway?
I don't think there is a single auto hold automatic on the market now that doesn't do it. There is probably a type approval reason for it, it can't be a coincidence that they all do it.
Which ones do you drive that don't?
Soldato
Its not that at all, its that you dont need to apply the handbrake manually.
In the audi with hill hold and hold assist the brakes automatically apply and stay on once you come to a complete stop, these have the brake lights illuminated, as thats the law.
After a period of time, I think its a minute or so, it will switch and apply the handbrake instead of the footbrake.
I can choose to still apply the handbrake, and do if I know I am going to be stuck in something thats not going to move.
Soldato
My other half has one and yes there does seem to be less glare as your sitting higher relative to other vehicles. Its not perfect, but its definately less noticeable. Also far less of what I find more annoying and thats the flashing you get when being followed by a higher vehicle with LEDs/Xenons on bumpier roads.
Caporegime
Yes, sitting high up makes a massive difference.
Caporegime
Those are rear view mirrors, I'm talking about side mirrors. I could just wire in an auto dimming interior mirror from any random car which has one.
The car/road/signs behind you being bathed in red light tend to give it away, certainly on anything with LED brake lights anyway.